Just Opened - May 17, 2013

A healthy mixed diet on Just Opened today, presenting works from all eras, and one truly rare treat.

PRAISE THE LORD
Music of Praise for Horn
Jeffery Powers, horn
Bradley Bolen, paino
The Baylor University A Cappella Choir
http://www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1220
This CD is a project of love, all proceeds going to www.tearfund.org, an Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund, to transform communities living in poverty.

ZELENKA:
The Cappriccios
The Bach Sinfonia
David Abraham, cond.
DSL # 92163
ISBN# 0 53479 51632 8
Recent research shows the work of Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) as representative of the pinnacle of high Baroque art.  For those of us who love Baroque music, this new edition of his work is a jewel.

BEETHOVEN
Piano Sonatas
Christian Leotta, piano
ATMA Classique #2488
2 CD set
ISBN#7 22056 24882 2
This is Volume 3 of "The Complete Beethoven Sonatas" recorded by Leotta, an award winning pianist.  My delight of the week!

A WIND BLOWS FROM THE EAST
4 German Medieval Tales
Drew Minter, voice & medieval harps
BRIDGE 9372
ISBN#  0 90404 93722 4
In the 1940s, (and still today,) Hollywood put out "prestige films."  These were works produced because they spoke to a higher artistic calling, that were not expected to have mass appeal or sell broadly, but that the company could point to as something it does that no one else can do.   This CD is such a prestige work.  Rare talent Drew Minter has looked not to romantic German lieder, but to medieval German ballads, for works of poetry and beauty, presenting them much as they would have been performed for Lairds and Kings of yore.   A sure bet for medieval re-enactors, and the ren-faire crowd, this is a worthy addition to any collection of early music, one that unfolds with the re-telling.

AMERICAN ANTHEM
The music of Barber, Hanson, & Thompson
The Ying Quartet
DSL 92166
ISBN# 0 53479 21662 5
The Ying family have become the success "poster-children" of the NEA's residency program, where they were "placed" in Jessup, Iowa - a program designed to bring professional musicians into the lives of "ordinary" Americans.   That was a foundational time for the quartet, a family whose work has gone on to be recognized in the more usual musical spheres of New York, and other international homes of "great music."  They are currently quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, with faculty positions in the String and Chamber music departments, and a performance schedule of collaborations called "no boundaries" as well as more traditional performance venues.

We hope you enjoy these new releases, Just Opened.
Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened - May 10, 2013 - A Violin's Life

We had a give-away today, thanks to Avie Records.  An exciting release of music for violin and piano, great works, played on a famous violin - the "Lipinski" Stradivarius, born in 1715... and still making great music.  The violin gets to revisit it's own past, works premiered on it over the centuries.

A VIOLIN'S LIFE - Featured CD
Music for the "Lipinski" Stradivarius
Frank Almond, violin
William Wolfram, piano
AVIE 2279
ISBN# 8 22252 22792 5
It shows a great sense of perspective for a musician like Almond to take stock of the historic instrument he has been allowed to play, and to "submit" himself to the history of the instrument itself...  realizing that our lives are brief candles compared to the longevity of a violin that is now almost 300 years old!  And the music played on it is exquisite:  Schumann and Tartini's works well known favorites, the lesser known work of Rontgen, a luscious, lyrical romantic melodic swoon!

A LA CARTE
Short Works for Winds
The Borealis Wind Quintet
MSR 1128
ISBN# 6 81585 11282 3
My delight of the week!  I should disclose that I am a committed fan of the Borealis Wind Quintet - solely through listening to their CDs.  They manage to find musical, melodic works from even the most "scary" composers. Beautiful musicianship paired with a light, bright sense of delight in their choice of material. 

16th Cent. Italian & French Dance Music

Musica Reservata

Michael Morrow, director
BOSTON SKYLINE 123
ISBN# 7 3035 70123 2 5
A digital release of highlights from two "Grand Prix du Disque" recordings of early music, from the early days of the re-exploration of early music instruments and techniques.  Dance music and some songs of the 1500s, in restored, glorious performances. Released in 1992, it may not be available in your local shop, but you can still find it online.

ALEXANDR GLAZUNOV
Piano Transcriptions
Per Tengsrand, piano
PROPIANO 224537
ISBN# 7 81988 0037 2 5
From the time of Mozart into the early 1900s, composers scrambled to get out chamber and piano versions of their symphonies as soon as the orchestral version hit rehearsal stands.  In Mozart's time, he worked quickly so that one of his musicians would not beat him to the punch and get the chamber edition done first.  During the Romantic era, many composers did the piano version first to get the musical ideas and themes fleshed out in a complete form, to later be "colored in" in the orchestral version.  Lizst famously did a piano arrangement of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique that helped people become familiar with the strange new work.  Here we have the listenable, dance-able music of Glazunov.  As Glazunov wrote so much for ballet, it is reasonable to think that the piano version came first, the orchestrations worked out while the dancers rehearsed with the piano version.

We hope something Just Opened today has tickled your musical palate!
Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened, May 3, 2013

A solid dose of Mozart Piano Concertos today, with the varied spice of brass, voice, and guitar.

MOZART
Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
Vassily Primakov, piano
BRIDGE 9339
ISBN#0 90404 93392 9

HARAMBEE
Horn Music of Paul Basler
Paul Basler, piano & conductor
with various brass artists
MSR 1166
ISBN# 6 81585 1166 2 3

JUAN DIEGO FLOREZ
Sentimento Latino
LONDON DECCA 6295
ISBN#0 28947 57576 4

GEORGE FREDERIC HANDEL
Arrangements for Guitar
Robert Gruca, guitar
MSR 1417
ISBN#6 81585 14172 4
My Delight of the Week!






Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened, April 26, 2013 - COVERS

A wide variety and a full course buffet today on Just Opened....  All that, and a give-away!  (Summit Records graciously gave us multiple copies of "License to Thrill" to give away to listeners.  Thank you!)
Today's new releases include some thrills, some bitter pills, a full repast, and time-honored snacks.
Today's show is called COVERS because the cover art so well matches the music inside.

SHUANN CHAI, fortepiano
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Sonatas
PPD # 011 (available online)
Postern Park Digital Recordings
A marvelous way to hear Beethoven's sonatas - on the instruement that he intended these pieces to be played on, unequal temperament and all.  Chai has wisely chosen the "big name" sonatas to showcase in this way, the original instrument making them sound new to our ears.  Beethoven notoriously disparaged his Sonatas... but time has proven even these "snacks" to be note-worthy.

 LICENSE TO THRILL
Joe Burgstaller, trumpet
SUMMIT 600
ISBN# 0 99402 60092 5
A varied "recital" CD by an accomplished performing, in interesting musical pairings.  With "covers" of Vivaldi, beloved Gershwin, new works and traditional works, this is a marvelous "gateway" CD to introduce friends and family to the classics.

REPAST BAROQUE ENSEMBLE
Amelia Roosevelt, baroque violin
John Mark Rozendaal, viol da gamba
Avi Stein, harpsichord
and Claire Jolivet, baroque violin
www.repastbaroque.org
ISBN#7 00261 31768 7
Exquisite packaging of this music matches the music inside.
My delight of the week!


JENNIFER HIGDON
AN EXALTATION OF LARKS
The Lark Quartet
BRIDGE 9379
ISBN#0 90404 93792 7
The Lark Quartet joins with other musician friends on various works by acclaimed living composer, Higdon.  If you want to know what is current in chamber repertoire and currently winning awards (and performances), here we have excellent performances of new works.

HERBERT HOWELLS (1892-1983)
Gloriae Dei Cantores
Elizabeth C. Patterson, Dir.
GDC 053
www.paracletepress.com
Acclaimed choral works performed by an internationally acclaimed choir, including a work composed specifically for the Washington National Cathedral.  These are big, serious choral works, not an evening of light chorus, but time has proven these works and the choir to be as meritorious and inspiring as the statue on the CD cover.

CELLOQUY
Lera Auerbach, piano/composer
Ani Aznavoorian, cello
CEDILLE 137
ISBN# 7 35137 --372 0
Here we have the rough, jagged edge of new chamber composition by a versatile and accomplished composer.  What Auerbach calls "warm and melodic" makes one wonder if she is using the same definitions or creating new ones.  Taken in small doses, this modern musical medicine can indeed pique the interest, but large doses may cause a relapse in all but the most adventuresome.  Notice the cover of this CD.  Does it look threatening to you?  refreshing?  edgy?    intriguing?   This is another case of the cover beautifully matching the works contained inside.

I hope you found something musical to love, and to think about,  Just Opened!
Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened, April 19, 2013

 Last Month we featured Beethoven's Sonatas after-the-news-at-noon, and we continue our Beethoven connection this month during Just Opened, featuring many releases of his piano works.  Today we let you sample 2 different artist's renditions of his extensive theme and variations:


LUDVIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Diabelli Variations
Beth Levin, piano
CENTAUR 3046
ISBN# 0 44747 3046 2 5
Large scale works like the Diabelli Variations display not only virtuosity, but a professional committment that becomes the "calling card" of the serious musician.  An "infant phenomenon" performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 12, Levin's instructors and performance venues read like a "who's who" of great music.

BEETHOVEN: DIABELLI VARIATIONS
Melvin Chen, piano
BRIDGE 9189
ISBN# 0 90404 91892 6
Chen has been on the world stage for many years, and one distinctive feature of his release of the Diabelli Variations is that he also includes the variations made by other composers for the original "challenge."  Seeing & hearing the brevity of the contributions of the other composers (each doing what was requested:  submitting one variation), lets us see Beethoven's "mad genius" in both its brilliance and its inability to follow directions!

VIVA LA ZARZUELA!
Maria Bayo, soprano
(and other big name opera stars)
NAIVE 4765
ISBN#3 298 490 047651
My Delight of the Week!  Highlights arias and choruses from great operas by Latino composers makes for infectious listening.  I love the voice of Maria Bayo, who is featured in this CD... alongside other international greats.  If listening to an entire opera is a bit much for you, this is a great pick; AND you very well may discover a "new" opera you'd like to explore.

RED
Marco Sartor, guitar
FLEUR DE SON 57998
available online
This CD from the 2008 winner of the JoAnn Falletta Int'l. Guitar Concerto Competition is not the usual recital CD of short works.  Sartor provides an interesting palate of Sonatas and grouped works by composers such as Dowland, Ponce, Sor and Scarlatti, alongside modern composes Starcevic, Eastwood, and Fleury.  A full prism of the colors of the quitar.

THE NEW TANGO
New York-Buenos Aires Connection
VAI AUDIO 20001
ISBN# 0 89948 20012 3
This group presents a cross-section of some very traditional sounding Tangos, and some new arrangements of the works by both traditional tango composers, and members of this talented group.  In some respects their music harkens a return to the bordello roots of tango, by moving back away from Piazzola's "concert" tango, and back to the cafe/bar by including electronic guitar in many of these arrangements.

We hope you enjoied these new releases, Just Opened!
Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened, April 12, 2013

This is the second day of our Spring "Paving the Way" Fund Drive.  Please consider a generous donation to Delmarva Public Radio.  (You can use the little red button at the top right of our home page that says, "support this station.")

CPE BACH and
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Cameron Watson, piano
MSR1409
ISBN# 6 81585 14092
Watson is an "old fashioned" renaissance man:  legal scholar, composer, pianist, and winner of an award for his work on music copyright.  He also teaches, and here turns his musical strength of attention to a pleasing pairing of CPE Bach and Beethoven.

THE SOVIET EXPERIENCE III
Pacifica Quartet
2 CD set
CEDILLE  138
available online
This set features several quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich and one by his contemporary, Mieczylsalw Weinberg.   This is the challenging edge of modern era music, but still largely accessible.  The Weinberg work is engaging and was worth seeking out.

CONSTANTINOPLE
and FRANCOISE ATLAN
Premier Songs/Early Dreams
ANALEKTA 9989
ISBN# 7 74204 99892 9
If any early/original music group can be said to be "run of the mill," this one definitely is even farther afield, mining historic latin music with a fetching combination of viol da gamba, guitar, percussion, vocalist and other early instruments. Soulful and varied, this CD would be a great introduction to early music for people who think they don't like "classical music."  Who knew early music could be this toe-tappin'?

VIVALDI BASSOON CONCERTI
Nadina Mackie Jackson, bassoon
Nicholas McGegan, Cond. & keyboard
MSR 1451
ISBN# 6 81585 14512 8
Speaking of "toe-tappin'," Nadina Mackie Jackson and Co. make the most of Vivaldi's pop and sizzle.  She's one of the best bassoonists in the world, and makes the most historical music completely current.  This is one to rush out and grab! My Delight of the Week.


Join us next week for more new releases, Just Opened!
Kara Dahl Russell

Just Opened, April 5th, 2013

Chris Ranck hosted "Just Opened" on Friday, with a varied selection of early, classical, romantic and modern music.


HAYDN & CPE BACH
Elizabeth Rich, piano
CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY 4221
ISBN # 7 62434 42212 3

THE SOUNDS OF
REMEMBERED DREAMS
Frank Morelli, bassoon
Susan Jolles, harp
Humbert Lucarelli, oboe
VOX 7504
ISBN# 0 47163 75042 7

DOWLAND IN DUBLIN
Michael Slattery, tenor
La Nef (original/early instruments)
ATMA 2650
ISBN# 7 22056 26502 7

CHIHARA : Viola Concerto &
Music for Viola
Paul Coletti, viola
Yehuda Gilad, cond.
The Colburn Orchestra
BRIDGE 9365
ISBN # 0 90404 93652 4

PAUL LANSKY
Imaginary Islands
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Justin Brown, Cond.
David Starobin, guitar
BRIDGE 9366
ISBN # 0 90404 93662 3
Chris said this was his favorite of the week, because it surprised him.  He expected it to very challenging, but found it surprisingly accessible.



Tune in next week for more new releases, Just Opened!